Note

I have moved up to Monroe, Louisiana for the rest of the summer. Due to interweb connection issues where I am living posting will be irregular.

Still Fresh- "Regulate"

A couple days ago Ben Gibbard of Death Cab For Cutie made the erroneous claim on Stereogum that "Regulate" by Warren G and Nate Dogg had not aged well. "Regulate" is now, and forever shall be, one of the greatest songs ever. As a commenter politely explained:

Sir, I must say that you are way out of line, claiming this song has aged poorly. As I get older, and experience more of what life has to offer, more and more do I realize how Warren and Nate's "Regulate" speaks to the realities of modern life. And bitches. Like Shakespeare, Marcel Proust, and the people who write Grey's Anatomy, Nate and Warren understand some deep truths about the human condition -- and present these truths with considerable aplomb!

A deft split narrative, two protagonists relate a typical evening in the LBC from two unique perspectives. Warren searches for the simple pleasures of a dice game whilst Nate longs for tender companionship. But as Warren's quest becomes a desperate struggle of life and death, Nate discovers that friendship -- or brotherhood -- must take priority over pursuits of the flesh. That is to say, blood is thicker than Krystal... or, if you prefer: Bros before Hoes. BUT, after the climatic scene in which Nate dispatches Warren's assailants, the two "switch their mind back into freak mode"... and discover you truly CAN have your bitch and freak her too.

Of course, I neglect to mention the rich philosophical content of song: "Where rhythm is life and life is rhythm" and "rhythm is the bass and bass is the treble". Using the transitive property of logic, we see that life is both bass AND treble. This is Nate/Warren's unique twist on the ancient Chinese concept of Yin and Yang as well as their read on the Aristotelian notion of the eudaimonistic life...

There's too much to address here in the comments... but I think I've shown that "Regulate" is a timeless classic, certain to be cherished and enjoyed for centuries to come.

For your viewing pleasure: http://youtube.com/watch?v=zhWGDGHupYA

Steve Earle- Darlin' Commit Me

I'll be posting stuff off and on from Heartworn Highways for the rest of the summer.

Via Wikipedia:

Heartworn Highways is documentary film by James Szalapski whose vision captured some of the founders of the Outlaw Country movement in Texas and Tennessee in the last weeks of 1975 and the first weeks of 1976. The film was not released theatrically until 1981. The documentary covers the artists who were singing songs they wrote in a style that was more like their grandparents' music two generations back instead of following in the tradition of the previous generation. Some of the main songwriter/performers are Guy Clark, Townes Van Zandt, Steve Earle, David Allan Coe, Rodney Crowell, Gamble Rogers, Steve Young, and The Charlie Daniels Band.

Steve Earle- Darlin' Commit Me

Musings on Hip-Hop

I'm pretty annoyed by the recent mix-tape trend in hip-hop. I mean its nice to have new stuff, sure. But most of the time the shit that comes out on mix-tapes is simply not very good. Recent mix-tapes from Wale are an example of this. Sure there are some pretty good tracks, but its full of holes. It seems like their time would be better spent focusing on actually releasing a solid album. But what do I know? I am only a white kid from the suburbs.

I finally checked out a Lil Boosie mix I had downloaded a while back yesterday, and its absolutely terrible. I'm not the least bit surprised, as the only reason I had downloaded it in the first place was because Boosie is from Baton Rouge. Being from Baton Rouge does not excuse him for the shit that is most of his music. I guess with these guys from Shreveport and Baton Rouge getting so much success with songs like "A Bay Bay" and "Wipe Me Down" it is a little too much to ask them to actually get a decent beat and throw down a decent rhyme. Oh well.

Far more worrying than a few mediocre mix-tapes is my brother's sound buds. I spent 3 hours with him playing NBA Live yesterday, and I played DJ the whole time. We listened to the entirety of "Illmatic," most of "Ready to Die," half of "36 Chambers," random Outkast, De La Soul, A Tribe Called Quest, Lupe Fiasco, and Wale. Finally after about 3 hours I threw on "Lollipop" just for a change of pace and his ears perked up. "Turn it up, this song is fucking awesome!" Oh well.

Wu-Tang Clan- C.R.E.A.M.
Notorious B.I.G.- Juicy

Verano

I'm coming back with more sounds of summer. I discovered Extraperlo of Barcelona after checking out El Guincho's myspace a few weeks ago. I'll leave the Alegranza! commentary for a little later, as much has already been said about that excellent album. But it was Extraperlo that really struck out at me. "Banyadores" mixes an old-world charm, sort of like if Zach Condon/Beirut were from Barcelona, with a sunny, almost disco vibe. However you want to describe "Banyadores," it will make you smile, and want to pack your bags and head to Barcelona.

Extraperlo- Banyadores

Hot As A Murder Weapon

Well summer has officially started, at least for the in-school crowd. As far as I am concerned there is only one true summer anthem.



Tom Tom Club- Genius of Love (live)

Steppin Out

I spend a lot of time walking. Anytime I have to get myself between my house and class, a friend's apartment, or a bar, I will most likely walk. As I have delved into funk and jazz, I have realized that there are certain artists, albums, and songs that are perfectly cut out for my strutting between learning and liquoring.

Stanton Moore is one of those artists that is perfectly cut out for the walking jam. Anytime I put on Stanton or his band, Galactic, I cannot help but get down on the walk home.

I was lucky enough to catch Stanton perform solo at Bonnaroo this past year and was blown away by how tight he and his band are. If I thought that was going to be enough Stanton for one weekend, well I was wrong. I happened to catch the encore of Galactic's late-night performance at Bonnaroo and was completely surprised. I had seen Galactic perform before, but their performance at Bonnaroo was something entirely different. Lights-out funk, that is what Galactic bring to the table every night, and if you ever get the chance to catch them, do not miss out.

Elsewhere: Off the Record- Stanton Moore (New Orleans, LA)

Stanton Moore- Ben's Blues
Stanton Moore- Stanton Hits the Bottle

Fresh Groove Muxtape #2

In the theme of my last two posts I offer up the second Fresh Groove muxtape.

Fresh Groove Muxtape #2

1. "People Condemn Whiskey"- Heartworn Highways Outtake
2. "Rebels"- Tom Petty
3. "Colorado"- Stephen Stills/Manassas
4. "Twilight Distillery"- The Minus 5
5. "Animal Shapes"- The Silver Jews
6. "LA Freeway"- Guy Clark
7. "Windfall"- Son Volt
8. "Two Angels"- The Jayhawks
9. "Six Days on the Road"- The Flying Burrito Brothers
10. "Atlantic City"- Bruce Springsteen
11. "Monument Valley"- Drive-By Truckers
12. "It's Been A Long Day"- Jim White

Porch & Roll

I feel like every single person on Earth should take at least 30 minutes out of their day and sit outside by themselves just to chill out and enjoy nature. So many people get completely wrapped up in the little, meaningless problems of their everyday lives and are never able to come-down off of those problems.

Granted, as a college student, I am in a very easy position to write this. I generally have no problems, sure my bank account is empty and maybe my grades weren't exactly what I was looking for, but really I can't complain. My life is good, I have nothing to worry about for two weeks until I start my new job, and I am 20 years-old with the world ahead of me. But sometimes it takes a nice back porch decompression with a cold beer or a glass of whiskey to remember this.

So I sit out here at 2:30 in the morning with (now just a glass of water) a drink and The Minus 5 playing in the background, and I am happy because I know my life couldn't be any better. Hopefully in 5, 10, 20 years I will be able to say the same thing.

The Minus 5- Twilight Distillery
The Minus 5- All Worn Out

Echoes From the Porch Swing

When I was younger, maybe 10 or 11, so about ten years ago, I remember sitting on the beach with my family in Florida. We had a radio out there with us and my father, uncles, and grandfather were all drinking beer and listening to music. I remember my uncle picked out four cd's for that entire week-long vacation: Anodyne, A.M., Trace, and Wide Swing Tremolo.

At the time Uncle Tupelo, Son Volt, and Wilco were names that meant absolutely nothing to me. The music didn't sound too bad, laid-back, a little twangy I guess, certainly different from whatever the New Orleans alternative-rock station was playing in those days.

Over the next few years I can remember several instances when the voices of Farrar and Tweedy would float out from the family radio. Summers visiting the family in Monroe, Louisiana were spent out on the back porch, jumping in-and-out of the swimming pool. We'd take trips together out to Destin, Florida. Inevitably there would be an evening where the family would all be sipping beers or wine out on the porch, looking out at the sea. More than once Son Volt provided the soundtrack for these scenes.

I got older and became "aware" of Wilco while sitting in a buddy of mine's car. The next time I saw him, I asked my uncle if he would burn me all of Wilco's cd's that he had. He only gave me a copy of A.M.

"Ryan, this is really the only one I like. Tweedy got into drugs or something and all his music got weird and way out there. Farrar though, that man can still write a tune," said my uncle to me, the 15-year old budding music snob.

I fell into the trap of shunning A.M. and laughing at the faltering career of Jay Farrar as I collected every Wilco album. "And to think people expected Son Volt to do better than Wilco," I would exclaim.

However, the years have passed and my feelings and opinions have changed. Much of Wilco's music has become rooted so much in time-and-place, Mandeville/Covington, Louisiana 2000-2005, that listening to Tweedy and co. just isn't the same anymore. I'll never be the same kid I was the first time I fell asleep to "Pieholden Suite" or the first time I sang along to "The Late Greats."

Over the last 6 months or so I have Son Volt gradually creep their way into my playlists and music selections. Recently, Trace and Wide Swing Tremolo have been my first choices every time I've gone to my back porch to have a beer and read a book in solitude.

This summer I will be returning to Monroe for work between semesters. I have been told how bad of an idea this is. ("You'll be getting $60 shwag" some say). But I am rather looking forward to sitting poolside with a little Jay Farrar, and maybe a cold Shiner.

Son Volt- Medicine Hat
Son Volt- Strands

Study Jams- Part 1 of 6

It is finals week here in Baton Rouge, and I have been swamped with work the last couple of weeks. To make up for the lost time I will be posting some of my favorite study jams. First up we have Nas and AZ bringing some classic NYC hip-hop. Both "Life's a Bitch" and "Rather Unique" are classic joints. The laid-back beats and killer rhymes will get you into the zone when your head is in the book. And if you want, they can also get you elevated. Probably two of my favorite hip-hop tracks of all time.

Nas (featuring AZ)- Life's A Bitch
AZ- Rather Unique